Banjo resonator



R. STEGMANN.

BANJO RESONATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, I921.

1 ,435027, Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

UNITED STATES 1,435,027 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT STEGMANN, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

BANJO RESONATOR.

Application filed December 14, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT STEGMANN, acitizen of Russia, residin at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and tateof New J ersey, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements inBanjo Resonators, of which the following is a full, clear, andexactspecification.

This invention relates to banjos and has for its object to provide animproved resonator therefor.

It is the aim of the invention to form and mount the resonator in such away as to produce a silvery harp-like tone, and at the same time tosimplify the construction of the resonator and of its supporting means.Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, andthen more specifically defined in the claims at the end of thedescription.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters areused to designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsFigure 1 is a plan View of the body portion of the head of a banjoequipped with a resonator substantially in accordance with thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line Il-II of Figure 1.

The body of the banjo may be formed in the usual manner with a circularrim 1 over which a parchment head 2 is stretched by means of clamps 3.The neck 4 may be attached to the body by screws 5, and said body may bereinforced by a brace 6 secured in. position by screws 7. One of thescrews 5 for attaching the neck to the body may be formed. integral withone of the screws 7 for attaching the brace to said body, as shown inFigure 2.

The resonator 8 consists of a flaring metal tube or bell having itssmaller end formed with an outwardly rolled or turned flan 9, the outeredge of which is spaced away rom the outer walls of said resonatorforming a groove 10 opening in the direction of the base of the body ofthe instrument. Said resonator is supported within the rim 1 above thebrace 6 with its smaller flanged end pressed into contact with the undersurface of the parchment head 2 by a pluralit Serial No. 522,285.

of spaced brackets 11 which are secured at their lower ends to the innerwalls of the mm 1 by screws 12, or other suitable means. Said bracketsextend upwardly and away from said rim so as to support the resonatorentirely free from the latter: The upper ends of said brackets contactwith the resonator at the middle of the groove 10 formed by the turnedover flange 9, as illustrated in Figure 2, thereby supporting saidresonator immediately below the points on said flange which contact withthe head 2. The resonator is thus free to vibrate without hindrance bythe brackets 11, so that a most pleasing silvery tone is produced whenthe instrument is played;

It is important that the groove 10 be broad enough to insure a spacebeing left therein at either side of each of the supporting brackets sothat said brackets will not come in contact with the body portion of theresonator or hell at one side, or with. the outer edge of the flange 9at the other side of said groove. It will be understood that if thesupporting brackets did contact with either of said side walls of thegroove, the resulting tone would be seriously impaired or destroyed.

I claim:

1. The combination with the rim and head of a banjo body, of a resonatorhaving a turned over flange at one end spaced from the same to form agroove, and supports for said resonator secured to the rim and engagingthe middle portion of said groove and pressing said flanged end of theresonator into contact with the head, said engaging portions of thesupports being spaced from both side walls of said groove for thepurpose specified. v

2. The combination with the rim and head of a banjo body, of a resonatorhaving an outwardly turned flange at one end spaced from the same toform a groove, and supports for said resonator secured to the rim andengaging the middle portion of said groove and pressing said flanged endof the resonator into contact with the head, said engaging portions ofthe supports being spaced from both side walls of said groove for thepurpose specified.

3. The combination with the rim and head of a banjo body, of a taperedtubular resonator having a turned over flange at one end spaced from thesame to form a groove, and supports for said resonator secured to theand supports for said resonator secured to the rim and engaging themiddle portion of said groove and pressing said flanged end of theresonator into contact with the head, said engaging portions of thesupports being spaced from both side Walls of said groove for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT STEGLIIANN.

